First impressions of this Yamaha AX-492 amp are very good indeed. You get an awful lot for your cash, Huge power (85wpc), large casework (albeit mostly fresh air), remote control with motorized volume and input selector, all of the connection possibilities you could ever need, a gaggle of 'bypass' buttons, and a sleek looking folding panel which hides away all but the most fundamental of controls. In use, this amp sounds like it looks, ie. big and weighty. But there's the rub, it's a bit TOO big and weighty, it lacks a certain finesse in the treble, seeming to blur things a little, cymbals don't sparkle quite as you might expect them to. And the bass is a little flabby too. But partnered with the right speakers, it can work wonders. I use it with a pair of mission 702e's and it really hits the spot for dance music and heavy, chugging, rock. Even so, it's still not quite up there when it comes to more delicate stuff